


It Really Is A Fake--The Insurance Scam Job

by crayonbreakygal



Series: The Sophie Chronicles [5]
Category: Leverage
Genre: Angst, Drama, F/M, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-18
Updated: 2020-03-18
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:15:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23206081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crayonbreakygal/pseuds/crayonbreakygal
Summary: The note he’d received from Sophie had the word urgent and please come as soon as possible.    Takes place pre-series and season five.
Relationships: Sophie Devereaux/Nathan Ford
Series: The Sophie Chronicles [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/481090
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	It Really Is A Fake--The Insurance Scam Job

**Author's Note:**

> Finally finished this. I was going to write the whole con, but it just wasn't happening. It wasn't about the con though, it was about them.

It Really Is A Fake—The Insurance Scam Job

Takes place prequel and season five

Accidentally running into a pole from an umbrella stuck in the sand had Nate rubbing his sore leg. If he’d watched where he was walking instead of looking at the sight right before his eyes, he wouldn’t be hobbling around on one foot.

“Son of a bitch,” he whispered to himself.

The note he’d received from Sophie had the word urgent and please come as soon as possible. Not that he always jumped when Sophie called. It was just the fact that she contacted him. It was a rare occurrence for her to ask for help. So, Spain it was.

Don’t stand up, he chanted in his mind while other body parts were telling him something different. He was definitely overdressed for the meeting by the looks people were giving him. Loosening his tie, he set out again, dodging more poles and lounge chairs to get to his destination.

There wasn’t much to the outfit Sophie had on or didn’t have on. The ties on the top lay dangling down, touching the sand beneath her. Must not want tan lines, he thought. He’d be a lobster if he stayed out in the sun like this. Sophie was golden, skin glowing in the heat of the beach. All he had was sand in his shoes and sweat rolling down his back.

Taking his jacket off, he swung it over his shoulder, attempting to look sophisticated. The shirt stuck to his back, the tie strangled him even though he’d pulled it down from his neck, his dress pants were chaffing in places he didn’t want to mention. He was a mess while Sophie looked like a queen.

Do not sit up.

“Hello, Nate,” Sophie called from her chair.

Slowly, ever so slowly, she turned, her tiny top not keeping up with her movements. Sweat rolled into his eyes. At least he hadn’t taken off his sunglasses so that she couldn’t see how stunned he really was.

Stretching her arms over her head, Sophie untied the top and slipped off the scrap of fabric, settling down on her back now, completely exposed to him and everyone around him. Not that anyone cared. She wasn’t the only one sunning themselves without clothes. As he stood there dumbfounded, she arched her back just slightly. He didn’t need a better view. He needed a drink before he passed out. Anything would do.

Her breasts were round, nipples a dark, dusty hue to them. Her stomach was flat but not overly muscled. Everything was in proportion to the rest of her body. And it was all natural, unlike many of the women now sunning themselves in the heat of the day.

“What brings you here? I admit you’re a bit overdressed for the occasion.”

“You called me, remember?” It came out a bit harsh, but whatever.

“Oh, you’re right, darling. Can you believe I wanted to see you? And I have a job for you.”

“Sophie, you’re a criminal. I’m not.”

“Well, you’re somewhat correct. But not that kind of job. I have a line on that painting that was lost to IYS not six months prior. Interested?”

Her hands came down to skim her hips just lightly while she turned her long neck to look at him. He watched as a light sheen of sweat beaded between her breasts. Oh, how he’d love to lick…

“Nate, you with me here?”

“Oh, yes. The Pissarro?”

“One in the same.”

“That was Sterling’s client.”

“Yes, I know.”

“And you want me to retrieve it.”

“Yes, darling.”

“To embarrass the bastard.”

“Completely,” Sophie laughed.

Sophie stretched her long legs out, bending one knee just slightly.

“Wanna tell me how?”

“In time. You might want to go change though before you pass out.”

“I’m fine.”

“Your face is beet red in addition to sweating through your clothes. I wouldn’t want you to faint out here. I doubt I could carry you back to my villa.”

“Your villa?”

“Just behind us.”

Nate glanced around, seeing very expensive villas not too far off in the distance.

“Just need a drink.”

“Among other things. Alright, come on before you faint.”

As Sophie rose from her lounge chair, she slipped her sandals on but did not replace her top. Wiping away the sweat on his brow, Nate followed her as she walked to the patio attached to her villa. Even walking through thick sand, she still moved her hips enticingly. Now his shoes were full of the stuff from trudging after her.

“Wait here, dear. I must rinse off the sand. Drinks are in the frig.”

Unbuttoning the cuffs on his shirt, Nate rolled his sleeves up. After gulping down two glasses of ice-cold water, he was feeling a bit better. His groin still ached a bit, but at least he wasn’t going to pass out now.

“Your face is still red. Here, let me.”

Sophie came into the room, sundress pulled down her body, covering up enough so that he could concentrate on what she was saying. She hadn’t replaced the skimpy bikini top though, so he could see the outline of her breasts through the thin fabric. He knew she was playing with him and was doing a fine job of it. Handing him a cool cloth, Nate placed it over his face, just so she couldn’t see that most of the reason he was still red-faced was her, not the sun or the heat.

“Want to tell me what you heard?”

“Oh, not that I heard anything. I saw it.”

“You saw it?”

“A friend of a friend invited me to a party. I went. There it was, on full display. I’m not sure who stole it, but it’s the real thing, I’m sure.”

“On full display where anyone could see it?”

Now that was intriguing. 

“This party was attended by dignitaries, politicians, art aficionados and the like. It was a private party.”

Nate’s mind started to whirl, moving this way and that, attempting to figure out how someone would just display a significant piece of art, show it to the world, and not flinch one bit doing it. It was almost like…

“The one stolen was a fake,” both said in unison.

“Doesn’t surprise me. Sterling’s an idiot sometimes,” Nate joked.

“IYS probably authenticated it, insured it, then forgot about it. The client sold it to the person who displayed it, put up a fake in its place, then reported it as stolen. I guess IYS’s client didn’t think that it would be displayed in such a fashion.”

“Or maybe they had an understanding.”

“Didn’t follow protocol I’m thinking.”

“So, who actually owns it then? IYS’s client or the person who has it now?”

“It’s obvious. The person who owns it now was in on it. Had to have been,” Sophie mentioned as she poured herself a drink. “What made him suddenly decide to display it in such a blatant fashion?”

“That’s what we need to find out.”

“You have a tux?”

“Not with me, why?”

“Another party, day after tomorrow. I’ll get an invite. We can go exploring.”

Nate stopped Sophie with a hand. Her arm was now cool to the touch, the scent of suntan oil and something else.

“Why are you helping me?”

“I’m bored. And intrigued. It’s a mystery. Don’t you want to solve it?”

Nate hadn’t realized that his thumb had taken to rubbing against her soft skin. Jerking his hand away, he concluded that she must be bored. So, she wanted to play with him and embarrass Sterling at the same time. It was a win-win for her.

“You know I do.”

“How’s the wife?”

It was like cold water was splashed in his face. How was Maggie? The fact that she wasn’t even speaking to him, much less even sharing his bed now grated on him. Sam was better, out of the hospital, but the doctors were still on alert. Nate was still on alert. But he needed this job. He couldn’t just stay in Los Angeles waiting for the other shoe to drop. The quicker he solved this mystery, got IYS’s butt out of another problem, the faster he could get back to his son. His marriage may not be repairable, but his son was the focus now. Even if Maggie didn’t think he was a good father, Nate knew that his bond with his son was the thing that kept him going.

“Couldn’t be better,” Nate smiled.

Sophie’s eyes narrowed like she could see into his soul.

“Well, shall we get started?”

“It’s not until the day after tomorrow.”

“Tux? You must be fitted for one. Can’t show up looking like this, now can you?”

“I don’t have the expense account to pay for a tux. Blackpoole is being very stingy with them nowadays.”

“While he rakes in the profits. It’s my treat. You’ve lost weight.”

Since all he’d done over the past six months was either sit at his son’s bedside or work, eating wasn’t a priority.

“Yeah, well,” he hesitated.

“This is an exclusive party. Now, chop, chop.”

“Excuse me?” Nate asked.

“Strip, now.”

“Soph, I, I. No way.”

Sophie grinned back at him. “The tailor should be here shortly. And you’re a sweaty mess. Shower. I have a robe you can put on. Modesty does not become you, Mr. Ford. I can send out that mess of a suit and have it back clean and dry.”

Nate’s collar chaffed against his neck. It would be good to be out of it for a bit just so he could cool off.

“Go, now. I’ll order something to eat too. Then you can tell me what you’ve been up to the last year. It’s been ages since we talked.”

It had been ages since they’d seen each other, the last time had ended with them at the end of a gun with three pissed off grifters ready to kill the two of them for spoiling their fun. 

“This way,” Sophie said as she started to walk out of the room. “Just hand me those and I can send them out pronto.”

He wasn’t going to win on this. Taking his wallet out, he flashed it in front of Sophie’s eyes as he placed it on the dining table.

“Just make sure I get this back. And no using the credit cards. Besides, they’re almost all maxed out. Don’t go buying any shoes.”

“Shoes? I have all the shoes I need.”

Nate grinned at her. “Right. You keep saying that.”

Maxed out his credit cards? Losing weight? The look on his face when she mentioned his wife? There definitely was something going on in Mr. Ford’s other life and it wasn’t good. She’d heard rumors that he was in trouble, hence calling him in on this one. Not like she could call Sterling. This one would be to Nate’s benefit in addition to her getting to see him.

Sophie had missed him. She missed his sarcasm, his wit, his charm, his hands, his eyes, his smirk, his mind, his body. Now he was a sweaty mess, frown lines etched deeper in his face. She knew he was older than she was, but now he seemed ancient. It scared her. Something was wrong. She’d get to the bottom of it before he left.

He must be taking a cold shower since the room wasn’t that steamed up. His clothes were piled on the floor, so she quietly took them, making sure he couldn’t see that she was present. He’d know once he got out of the shower though since the clothes would be gone. He had his back turned, leaning up against the opposite wall, hands braced.

Water streamed down his backside; his head tilted forward. It was like he was in a trance, not moving. Sophie hadn’t seen much of Nate’s body, only that glimpse of him long ago in her apartment in Paris right after she shot him. Pain kind of dulled the memory, leg sticking out of the blanket, muscles bunched on his back as he sighed in his sleep. He was skinnier now, hair a bit longer and shaggier. She must insist on him getting it cut. The curls in the back were now damp and riotous. 

His skin was totally different from hers, pale in the soft light of the shower. He wore suits all the time, either was in an office or traveling from one place to another. She wondered how he even stayed in shape, but with all that running around after criminals like her, that must be how. As he shifted ever so slightly, she watched the muscles bunch on his backside. She’d seen better asses in her time, but his fit his shape perfectly. That was probably one of the reasons his suits always looked perfect on him, even though they were off the rack. He would look exquisite in one made just for him.

His feet shuffled as he adjusted his body, face coming up just slightly as he did. The groan that came out of his mouth stopped Sophie in her tracks. Oh my, was he? She was playing with him out in the sunshine, but to make him want to do this?

One arm leaned against the wall while the other curled around the front of his body, blocked from her view. Sophie usually wasn’t a voyeur, but now she could be, just for him. The movement of his right arm suggested this wasn’t just about getting it done and over with. He spread his legs a bit as his hand kept up a brisk pace in the front. 

Sophie almost groaned as she saw the tips of his fingers grasping his balls between his legs, pulling on them.

“Sophie,” Nate growled low in his throat.

Sophie watched as his left hand spread wide, his body arched into the wall, his groans of triumph filled her ears. Quietly dumping the clothes back on the floor, Sophie fled the scene, so he didn’t know she was watching him.

Two minutes later, Sophie was in her bedroom, door firmly shut. It didn’t take long for her to gasp out in pleasure as she thrust her hand down her bikini bottoms. Watching Nate Ford pleasure himself was foreplay enough. She sighed as she started to come down from her orgasm, hand now wet.

This was a mistake. She should have never called him, just reported her sighting anonymously. Now she was in it, realizing that if she didn’t have Nate soon, she’d combust and go up in flames. Maybe she’d call on one of her friends to slake that need that was already building again. This lust thing she had for Nate Ford had to stop. And stop now.

After getting fitted for a tux, Nate sat at Sophie’s dining room table, dejected that he’d have to stay at least for a few more days. He wanted to get home to Sam. He couldn’t even talk to him at the moment since he and Maggie had gone to see her parents. And her parents hated Nate. He’d have to wait until he was scheduled to speak with his young son, which was at least a few hours away.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Sophie asked, twirling her fork in her pasta.

“Oh, just, waiting to talk to Sam.”

“How is he?”

Did she know? This was the great Sophie Devereaux. She knew everything.

“Stable. How did you…?”

“I make it my business to know my enemies. You know the saying.”

“Keep your friends close and your enemies closer? Which are we?”

“Depends on the moment.”

The pasta would have been wonderful if he had an appetite. Downing the wine Sophie had served, he reached for the bottle and poured another one. After pouring half a glass, the bottle was empty. Sophie saluted him from the other end of the table with her half-filled glass. He had downed almost a whole bottle by himself and hadn’t even realized it.

“What do you know about the guy who owns the piece?”

“Old money but not his. His family has lived here for generations. They made money the old-fashioned way.”

“Which means they probably stole it somewhere down the line.”

“I heard that a great grandfather struck it rich. Some gold mine or such. Doesn’t really matter. He likes to collect nice things.”

“So do you,” Nate commented. “What did you steal? Or are you planning on stealing?”

“Oh, darling. What makes you think that I’m stealing anything? I must keep up appearances. I’m here on vacation.”

Nate snorted in reply. Sophie never took a vacation. She was always looking for the next job, the next mark.

“Alarm system a joke?”

“Indeed, it is. It would be like taking candy from a baby if you were into that sort of thing. I’m just here to fulfill my obligations, which is why I called you in on this. I am not here to steal anything. I’m only here to make sure my alias holds up to scrutiny. You know how the game is played.”

Nate did know how the game was played. He’d been on the receiving end of how Sophie Devereaux played her games.

“Which alias?”

“Alexia, the Duchess of Barrington-Highsworth at your service.”

“Ah.”

Nate knew that alias but had never encountered it before. Although there was that one time… One more to add to his list.

“Ah? What do you mean ah?”

“Just adding it to the list.”

“Never you mind. Now we just have to figure out one for you.”

“I don’t do British very well.”

“You don’t do British at all, my dear. Only obnoxious American.”

“Hey, it works. I only do the classics.”

“Bullshit,” Sophie said under her breath. “I seem to remember a Russian one in there somewhere.”

“Saved your ass that time.”

He had saved her that time. If he hadn’t come upon her when he did, there wouldn’t have been anything left of her to find once that mobster had done away with her. Obnoxious in any language was always his play.

“How about obnoxious Irishman? I’m sure I could pull that off.”

“Not too obnoxious though. I do have to keep up appearances, blend into the woodwork. That kind of thing.”

Nate eyed her up and down. She’d changed into a more sedate outfit, silk top, short skirt. Very fitting to go with the surroundings of beach mecca.

“I doubt you could ever blend in.”

“Oh, you’d be surprised.”

Nate probably would be surprised about what she could pull off with a bit of planning.

The tux fit him like a glove, showing off his best attributes for all to see. She insisted that he get his hair cut, so she called in one of her favors to get it done before the party. 

Sophie would have loved to cover the dark circles under his eyes but knew that he’d never agree to a bit of makeup. Dark and brooding was on her arm then. He’d look mysterious to everyone else. She just hoped he knew no one there.

They had settled on Liam Logue as her escort. Nate had briefly told her that Liam was an ancestor of his in Ireland. It didn’t take long for them to establish the alias, which was good since they didn’t have that much time.

She guessed that his light Irish accent would do, but she hoped they wouldn’t meet up with someone from Ireland. Nate had reminded her that he’d grown up with this type of accent, so it wouldn’t be difficult to maintain. The shadowed look that crossed his face when he told her that he’d lived with the accent told her volumes. She knew he had an Irish background since he was from Boston originally. What she didn’t know was his history. This filled in a bit more backstory for him. That probably meant that his mother was either from Ireland or was first generation. The only fact she knew about his father was he now resided in prison. She never told Nate she knew that fact. She didn’t think he’d take it all that well regarding her checking up on him. 

“I hope I Iook acceptable for you,” he whispered as they entered the party.

“You look scrumptious, darling. Don’t worry. Just follow my lead.”

“No audibles, Soph.”

“Alexia, if you please.”

“Yes, Duchess.”

No one paid them any attention, except to possibly check Sophie out. She was stunning in whatever she wore, especially since the gown fit perfectly in all the right places. Nate had to avert his eyes several times just so that she didn’t know he looked. 

He missed Maggie. He missed her warmth, her generosity, her wit, the way she walked and talked. What he missed most about his wife was the fact that she wasn’t Sophie. She was honest to a fault. And he could trust her, implicitly. He wondered if she trusted him. Nate certainly didn’t trust himself. Now that he stood directly beside one of the main reasons he didn’t trust himself made him step back. Fixing his marriage should have been a priority. There was too much water under the bridge for both. Once Sam was in the clear, then he’d sit down with Maggie and hash this out.

Who was he kidding? Maggie had already seen right through him. He was doomed. His marriage was probably doomed. This con was going to be doomed if he didn’t concentrate a bit more.

“If you’re going to be distracted, I could have just come by myself.”

Sophie could tell he was thinking too much about something.

“Just thinking.”

“Too much I would assume. No matter what you do, Nate, you’re a good man. She’ll see that. Just remind her.”

Busted. The fact that Sophie knew him so well, perhaps even better than his wife, had him worried.

“I’m not sure she wants to be reminded.”

“Whatever it is that’s drawn you apart isn’t important. Do you love her?”

Nate stopped short. “I, well,” he stuttered.

“Oh. It’s just, I thought…”

“She’s, it’s just she’s too good for me. I don’t know what she saw in the first place. We’re such total opposites.”

Before Sophie could answer, the man who owned the original painting made his way over to the two of them. Sophie took the time to grill the guy without his knowledge of being grilled. She was too good at this, Nate surmised. No wonder she was the best grifter he’d ever chased.

“It is beautiful,” Sophie told him.

“Cost me a pretty penny. It should be.”

“The finer things in life,” Nate agreed.

“How long have you had this piece? I’m not up on my history.”

“I’ve had it for a while now. Finally had the space to show it.”

Nate almost called bullshit but kept a straight face.

“It’s quite the beautiful piece,” Nate added.

The man who now owned the piece was soon distracted by another guest, so Nate and Sophie had time to discuss what they would do.

“Is it the original?” Nate asked. He knew that Sophie had more expertise than most art experts. She’d know whether it was another fake.

“It certainly looks original. Tests would have to be run. I’ve seen some amazing fakes in my time.”

“Ah yes. The Mona Lisa Variant someone pulled in Milan. That was you, wasn’t it?”

“Oh darling, aren’t you adorable.”

Deflect was Sophie’s language. She’d never admit she was in on that con.

It took a few days to set up what they had planned, but in the end the painting was retrieved, the man who bought it was outed as being in on the theft and the original owner arrested for insurance fraud. This job lasted ten days in total, ten days away from his only son. Sure, he did get to speak to Sam once a day, but that wasn’t enough. It took Sam being ill for Nate to realize that spending time with his son was the most important job he could do.

“So, you’re off?”

Sophie had snuck up behind him while he was sitting at the bar in his hotel. Nate had been so busy planning in his head what he was going to say to his wife, that he didn’t hear her approach.

“Early morning flight.”

Sophie sat down next to him, shoulder to shoulder, but not looking at him.

“If there’s anything…”

“No, Sophie, I’m good. It’s fine.”

He was lying to himself, lying to her, lying to his wife, lying to his son. He wasn’t fine. His life was in shambles, up to his eyeballs in debt, family nonexistent other than the two people back in Los Angeles. His mother was dead, his father was in prison, which meant he had no one to depend on except himself and his wits. He bet that Sophie probably felt the same way at times. If only he knew her real name, he could figure out whether there was someone else that cared for her, had her back in times of need.

“I’m not going to tell you how to live your life, Nate. I don’t exactly understand anything that goes on in your other life, but remember, if you ever need an ear to listen.”

Nate just shook his head, downing his drink in one shot.

Six months later, his son was dead, his marriage unrepairable, his job gone, his life shattered. He often thought that now was the time to lean on Sophie, to ask her what he should do. That moment never came. He was afraid to do that to her, just like he was afraid to lean on Maggie or acknowledge her pain. He was lost in his mind, replaying the fact that he thought it was his fault that all this had happened.

Nate thumbed through the papers that Hardison had worked up for him, studying them late into the night. There had to be an angle that he missed for the con to go this sideways. He just wasn’t seeing the solution.

He felt her move up behind him. Whether it was her scent of perfume, subtle but so Sophie or the slight shuffling of her slippers on the hardwood, he’d know her approach. As Eliot would often say, it was distinctive. He bet that no one on earth knew of Sophie’s tells other than him, not even his crew.

He groaned in pleasure as her hands started to massage the back of his neck.

“Come to bed, Nate.”

Now they were in a position for that phrase to come true. It had taken years for both to realize they could actually touch each other much less flirt, hold hands, or even look at each other with lust. 

“I’m not seeing the solution.”

“It will come to you. Need me to look this over?”

Years ago, he’d never let anyone in close enough to help him out. Now he had a team of individuals, each with a different skill set, smarter than most people on the planet, that could help him solve the biggest mysteries, pull off the biggest cons, all for people who needed their help.

“In the morning.”

“I hope not too early in the morning.”

“No, it can wait.”

“Have Parker look over the schematics one more time.”

“You’re probably right.”

Sophie was always right. He didn’t tell her that.

“How about a nice, hot shower. Work the kinks out of your neck.”

“Only if you join me.”

As Sophie led him upstairs, now he knew he had someone to lean on. He didn’t often take advantage of it, had wanted to in years’ past. They were never in a place where he could. Now they were. All that had happened in the last five years made him realize that this is exactly where he needed to be. As Sophie’s lovely hands washed away the stress of the day, Nate sighed. 


End file.
